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There are 167 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in Cornwall (including the Isles of Scilly). Cornwall, in the south-west of England, UK, has a population of () across an area of , making it one of the least densely populated counties within England. The north coast of Cornwall falls on the Celtic Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, which also surrounds the Isles of Scilly, the south coast falls on the English Channel and the county is bounded by the River Tamar, forming the border with Devon, to the east. Cornish geology consists mainly of rocks from the Devonian and Carboniferous geological periods. Granite forms a large part of these, with mineralisations of tin, copper, lead and arsenic having been mined in the area. This gives rise to many distinct habitats, with strong marine influences, including sand dunes, rocky reefs, stacks and headlands as well as heathland, moorland and unusual river profiles.

In England the body responsible for designating SSSIs is Natural England, which chooses a site "because of its flora, fauna, or geological or physiographical features". Natural England took over the role of designating and managing SSSIs from English Nature in October 2006 when it was formed from the amalgamation of English Nature, parts of the Countryside Agency and the Rural Development Service. Natural England, like its predecessor, uses the 1974–96 county system and as such the same approach is followed here, rather than adopting the current local government or ceremonial county boundaries.

Of the 167 sites designated in this Area of Search, the greatest number, 81, have been designated due to their biological interest, with 54 due to their geological interest and 32 for both. The data in the table is taken from English Nature in the form of citation sheets for each SSSI.Natural England citation sheets for each SSSI (PDF). Retrieved 1 November 2011.

Sites

Site name Biological Interest Geological Interest Area (hectares) Area (acres) Grid reference Year in which notified Map Aire Point to Carrick Du704.81741.61972 Amble Marshes 57.3141.61951 Annet 119.5295.31971 Baulk Head to Mullion152.3376.31995 Bedruthan Steps and Park Head80.8200.01951 Belowda Beacon 0.51.21996 Big Pool and Browarth Point 10.025.01971 Boconnoc Park and Woods 50.4124.51977 Bodmin Moor, North 4957.012248.01951 Borlasevath and Retallack Moor 54.1133.61994 Boscastle to Widemouth639.01579.01972 Boscawen 8.821.81997 Brendonmoor 11.729.01990 Breney Common 114.6283.21979 Bude Coast92.5228.61987 Cabilla Manor Wood 15.137.31989 Caerthillian to Kennack141.1349.61951 Cameron Quarry 0.51.21996 Carn Grey Rock and Quarry 1.94.81991 Carnkief Pond 11.227.71951 Carrick Heaths 42.7105.51973 Carricknath Point to Porthbean Beach 49.5122.32000 Carrine Common & Penwethers 45.8113.31973 Castle Down58.1143.61971 Chapel Down (St. Martin's)34.986.21971 Chyenhal Moor 11.929.41951 Clicker Tor Quarry 4.310.61967 Cligga Head113.5280.51951 Coombe Mill 0.51.22000 Coverack Cove and Dolor Point 5.613.91951 Coverack to Porthoustock173.5428.61951 Crocadon Quarry 0.20.41998 Crow's Nest18.946.81999 Crowhill Valley 42.5105.01951 Cuckoo Rock to Turbot Point 102.5253.41998 Cudden Point to Prussia Cove 15.939.21991 De Lank Quarries 21.954.11994 Dozmary Pool 104.2257.51951 Draynes Wood 38.093.91951 Duckpool to Furzey Cove 87.3215.71996 East Lizard Heathlands  287.4710.11951 Eastern Isles  83.8207.11971 Eglarooze Cliff  30.876.11951 Folly Rocks  2.46.01990 Gerrans Bay to Camels Cove 139.5344.71951 Godrevy Head to St Agnes 627.41550.31951 Goonhilly Downs 1271.03140.71951 Goss and Tregoss Moors 701.91734.41988 Great Pool (Tresco) 17.543.21971 Great Wheal Fortune 0.61.41991 Greenamoor  32.580.31992 Greenscoombe Wood, Luckett  29.372.41973 Greystone Quarry  4.410.91994 Grimscott 11.027.11992 Gugh 37.793.21976 Gwithian to Mexico Towans371.1917.21953 Harbour Cove 29.171.91990 Hawks Tor Pit 5.914.71993 Hayle Estuary & Carrack Gladden  190.3470.21951 Higher Moors and Porth Hellick Pool (St Mary's)  16.240.01971 Hingston Down Quarry & Consols  24.259.81995 Kelsey Head  227.6562.41951 Kennack to Coverack 265.7656.51951 Kernick and Ottery Meadows  29.871.61992 Kingsand to Sandway Point 6.715.31994 Lidcott Mine 0.10.31987 Loe Pool  128.7318.01951 Loggans Moor  10.726.41986 Lower Bostraze and Leswidden  2.35.71996 Lower Fal & Helford Intertidal 277.7686.21997 Lower Moors  10.225.21971 Luxulyan Quarry 49.9123.51993 Lymsworthy Meadows  7.719.01992 Lynher Estuary  687.31698.31951 Malpas Estuary  101.5250.81951 Marazion Marsh  59.9148.01951 Meddon Moor  32.079.01992 Meneage Coastal Section  79.7197.01994 Merthen Wood  72.2178.41972 Minster Church  0.71.71998 Mulberry Downs Quarry  3.27.91973 Mullion Cliff to Predannack Cliff  108.5268.11951 Nance Wood  9.824.21951 Newlyn Downs  115.7285.91997 Norrard Rocks  35.688.01971 Ottery Valley  32.580.31994 Park Wood  32.780.91988 Penberthy Croft Mine  2.35.71993 Penhale Dunes  1070.42645.01953 Peninnis Head (St. Mary's)  16.139.71971 Penlee Point  1.84.41990 Penlee Quarry  25.864.01997 Pentire Peninsula  113.7281.01951 Pentle Bay, Merrick And Round Islands  42.8105.71976 Phoenix United Mine  29.873.61996 Plains and Great Bay (St. Martin's)  15.037.11971 Plymouth Sound Shores And Cliffs  45.0111.21997 Polruan to Polperro  213.4527.31951 Polyne Quarry  0.10.21988 Polyphant  3.48.41994 Pool of Bryher & Popplestone Bank (Bryher)  5.914.61971 Porth Seal (St. Martin's)  1.12.61976 Porthcew  9.623.71990 Porthgwarra to Pordenack Point  157.9390.21977 Porthleven Cliffs  8.821.71973 Porthleven Cliffs East  13.132.41990 Porthloo  0.71.71996 Rame Head & Whitsand Bay  160.1395.61996 Red Moor  89.1220.21979 Redlake Meadows & Hoggs Moor  30.575.41995 Retire Common  61.8152.71951 River Camel Valley and Tributaries  621.21534.91998 Roche Rock  2.25.41991 Rock Dunes  68.1168.31953 Rosemullion  20.550.71990 Rosenannon Bog and Downs  135.5334.71951 Rosenun Lane  0.40.91988 Rushy Bay and Heathy Hill  12.230.11971 Samson (with Green, White, Puffin & Stony Islands)  38.795.61971 Shipman Head & Shipman Down  40.7100.61971 South Terras Mine  0.61.51996Map St Agnes Beacon Pits  7.919.51951 St Austell Clay Pits  0.61.52000 St Erth Sand Pits  3.99.61962 St Helen's (With Northwethel & Men-a-vaur)  26.665.71971 St John's Lake  279.2689.91973 St Martin's Sedimentary Shore  34.184.21996 St Mewan Beacon  0.71.71993 St Michael's Mount  2.66.31995 St Nectan's Glen  3.48.41985 Steeple Point to Marsland Mouth  342.8847.11973 Stepper Point  1.63.91990 Stourscombe Quarry  0.51.21953 Swanpool  8.922.01995 Sylvia's Meadow  4.511.41992 Talland Barton  2.05.02009 Tamar–Tavy Estuary  1422.33514.61991 Tater-du  4.811.91992 Teän  18.846.41971 Tintagel Cliffs  221.8548.11951 Trebetherick Point  20.650.91951 Treen Cliff  49.3121.81951 Tregargus Quarries  1.84.41951 Tregonetha & Belowda Downs  105.1259.82000 Tregonning Hill  5.212.91994 Trehane Barton  0.00.01989 Trelavour Downs  0.30.71990 Trelow Downs  149.8370.21999 Tremearne Par  14.535.91992 Trevaunance Cove  6.816.91993 Trevone Bay  9.423.21990 Trevose Head and Constantine Bay  158.5391.71951 Upper Fal Estuary and Woods  603.51490.61968 Upper Fowey Valley  124.0306.41989 Ventongimps Moor  8.220.41951 Viverdon Quarry  0.41.01985 Watermill Cove  0.51.21996 West Cornwall Bryophytes  53.9133.31999 West Lizard  776.31917.41968 Western Rocks  62.7154.91971 Wheal Alfred  1.12.81990 Wheal Gorland  0.61.51988 Wheal Martyn  0.10.31990 Wheal Penrose  0.92.21993 White Island (off St. Martin's)  16.640.91971 Wingletang Down  28.971.41971 Yeolmbridge Quarry  0.71.71990

See also

List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest by Area of Search List of Special Areas of Conservation in Cornwall

Notes Reason for designation; either for the site's biological interest, or its geological interest. Data rounded to one decimal place. Grid reference is based on the British national grid reference system, also known as OSGB36, and is the system used by the Ordnance Survey. Link to maps using the Nature on the Map service provided by Natural England.

References